Top Three Dribblers of All-Time

(Of the ones I've seen) Messi is the most effective, but Ronaldo (brazil) is the funnest to watch because of the athleticism combined with creativity.

By the way, does Neymar start entering the conversation? His dribbling statistics are top notch and he does it on the touch line which is harder.
 
Maradona is probably the top closely followed by Garrincha, Best, Ronaldo (bra) and Messi.

Then some of the lesser "names" like Denilson and Jay Jay Okocha were outstanding dribblers.
My personal favorite was Zico who was a superb dribbler in tight spaces as well
 
I'm being a little hipster and biased here, Maradone, Messi and probably Best

But some players I've seen, might be rivals to those 3 if we take their peaks seriously

Magico Gonzalez



Onesimo



For a guy that played before the youtube era, wasn't a world star and didn't get that much exposure at the top level, getting a 9 minute highlight reel should speak volumes of how good he was
 
Ishdalar said:
I'm being a little hipster and biased here, Maradone, Messi and probably Best

But some players I've seen, might be rivals to those 3 if we take their peaks seriously

Magico Gonzalez

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Great call on Magico, I remember when I was a kid he was talked about and then some of the video that still exists he had that electrifying technique level, shame he never adjusted to Spain and it went downhill for him.
 
oneniltothearsenal said:
Maradona is probably the top closely followed by Garrincha, Best, Ronaldo (bra) and Messi.

Then some of the lesser "names" like Denilson and Jay Jay Okocha were outstanding dribblers.
My personal favorite was Zico who was a superb dribbler in tight spaces as well

.
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Good shout. Zico was doing Messi-esque runs before Messi
 
Maradona and Messi are on a different planet to everyone else. Brazilians tell me Garrincha was the best Brazilian dribbler ever but I've never seen him but he must have been good.

Giggs/Best/Gazza/Ronaldinho/Robben most certainly a level behind Messi and Maradona...CR7 would not even be at Gazza or Ronaldinho level with the dribbling
 
oneniltothearsenal said:
Great call on Magico, I remember when I was a kid he was talked about and then some of the video that still exists he had that electrifying technique level, shame he never adjusted to Spain and it went downhill for him.
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Oh, he adjusted too well to Spain, just only to Cadiz, where he could have a great life, make money and enjoy taking football as a hobby instead of a job.

He's one of those guys who could've been much better, but didn't want the hassle of keeping up with the things that come playing for Barcelona (he had the option and ruined it with off the pitch problems, he had already earned a contract with the team with his performance in friendlies).
 
Never saw him but my father says Garrincha was quite good.
 
You can not keep Sir Stanley Mathews of this list he was dribbling past people in the top flight when he was 50.
 
Ishdalar said:
Oh, he adjusted too well to Spain, just only to Cadiz, where he could have a great life, make money and enjoy taking football as a hobby instead of a job.

He's one of those guys who could've been much better, but didn't want the hassle of keeping up with the things that come playing for Barcelona (he had the option and ruined it with off the pitch problems, he had already earned a contract with the team with his performance in friendlies).
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Yeah that's another way to put it :lol:

He is really an interesting case of what could have been had he a more professional mentality to go with that crazy creative talent.
 
padr81 said:
Messi, Maradona, Richard Dunne


Not close on the top 3 of all time and he could do feck all else but our little Georgian was awesome. Pity his career went to shit.
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Great vid. Even as a United fan Kinkladze was the first name to jump to mind, the best dribbler of the Premier League era for me, cut tie people in knots.

Shame he made so "little" of such outrageous ability.
 
padr81 said:
Messi, Maradona, Richard Dunne


Not close on the top 3 of all time and he could do feck all else but our little Georgian was awesome. Pity his career went to shit.
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Kinkladze was a weird one - he came to City from Dinamo Tbilisi where he was unbelievable. He had 3 superb seasons at City, and when he left City at the age of 25 his career was practically over. He never looked like a quality-player once he left City
 
Top five for me would be Maradona, Messi, Ronaldinho, Garrincha and Ronaldo. Hard to separate those without breaking down the definition more. Maradona with the best overall dribbling package.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
Great vid. Even as a United fan Kinkladze was the first name to jump to mind, the best dribbler of the Premier League era for me, cut tie people in knots.

Shame he made so "little" of such outrageous ability.
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Yeah, wasted career really. Peak of his skills and just fell off a cliff because Litmanen was a better player.
 
Messi and Maradona stand out for me.

Not sure who the 3rd would be. Haven't seen enough of Best, Garrincha, etc to name a 3rd.
 
Physiocrat said:
What's your top 10 out of interest?
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Hm; if you'd ask me tomorrow I'd probably change a few positions; Savicevic deserves a mention, Zico, Sivori, Figo, Rivelino - Cruyff, of course. Actually I'd swap him with Dzajic. Laudrups...

Maradona
Garrincha
Messi
Best
Ronaldinho
Pele
Ronaldo
Zidane
Matthews
Cruyff
 
Of those I saw regularly Kinkladze was by far the best. For the gentleman above who mentioned him there was an interesting article in the Guardian recently about the difficulty of incorporating a player like him into a traditional English side in the 90s.

I loathe Rangers but Davie Cooper was outrageously talented.

Messi/Maradona...etc very boring and predictable but probably the best.
 
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oneniltothearsenal said:
Maradona is probably the top closely followed by Garrincha, Best, Ronaldo (bra) and Messi.

Then some of the lesser "names" like Denilson and Jay Jay Okocha were outstanding dribblers.
My personal favorite was Zico who was a superb dribbler in tight spaces as well
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My earliest memories of football were Zico in that world cup, what a player he was. First club football memories really were Steve Archibald at Spurs....I so nearly became a Spurs fan, funny to think Steve Coppell swayed me. In my lifetime without doubt Maradona but from clips and seeing documentaries on him, Garrincha seemed incredible.
 
Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews deserve a mention? Cruyff, Giggs, Kinkladze, Zizou, Del Piero all great to watch too in full flow.

Probably Best, Maradona and Messi though no?
 
This is too general. You have to break it down a bit.
1. Best slow dribbler-- Zidane
2. Best fast dribbler--Messi
3. Best Powerful dribbler-- Luis Ronaldo
4. Best entertaining dribbler-- Ronaldinho
5. Best all round dribbler--Pele
6. Best tenacious dribbler-- Maradonna.
 
Top three is difficult.

I'd have Maradona, Garrincha as the top two. Then Dinho, Best, Messi and Fenomeno at around the same level at third.

Pele, Cruyff, Zico and Laudrup possibly finishing the top 10. Then come the Serbs Piksi and Savicevic...
 
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